Guwahati, Aug 12: Over 700 villages and around 3.54 lakh people in 15 districts of Assam were affected after a third wave of floods, triggered by heavy rainfall in adjoining states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya, hit the state on Friday.

“There have been incessant rains in the state for the last 24 hours and at least six rivers are in spate and flowing above danger levels,” an ASDMA official said, adding 781 villages in the districts had been inundated.

The surging waters have inundated 19,481 hectares of agricultural land.

A total of 354,326 people have been affected in the 15 districts while close to 14,000 people have taken shelter in 45 relief camps opened by the authorities, the officials said.

Floods have ravaged Assam since April, uprooting over 25 lakh people in 29 districts and leaving 76 people dead.